How to Smoke Salt - Easiest Smoked Salt Method

If you’ve never tried to smoke salt before, you’re missing out on an easy way to add bold, smoky flavor to just about anything. Whether you’re finishing a steak, seasoning grilled veggies, or even sprinkling it over popcorn, smoked salt is a game-changer.

Best of all, it takes minimal effort, and you don’t need any fancy ingredients—just coarse salt and a smoker.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

• It’s the easiest way to make your own finishing salt with real wood smoke.
• You can customize the type of salt and type of wood to create different flavors.
• It makes great gifts and adds next-level flavor to your cooking.

Ingredients / Tools You’ll Need

• Kosher salt or coarse sea salt (choose your preferred type of salt)
• Wood chips, wood chunks, or wood pellets (I use oak, but I’ll cover other options below)
• Pellet smoker or offset smoker
• Pellet tube smoker (optional, but great for extended smoking or using in a gas grill)
• Disposable aluminum pan, baking sheet, or cookie sheet
• Airtight container for storage

Instructions to Smoke Salt

Preparation

1. Spread the coarse salt in a thin layer on a baking sheet, cookie sheet, or disposable aluminum pan. The more surface area exposed to the smoke, the better the flavor.
2. Choose your type of wood. I prefer oak for a perfect balance of smoke intensity, but you can experiment with fruit woods like apple or cherry for a more subtle smoke flavor. Hickory will give a strong, intense flavor if that’s your style.

Smoking Process - Pellet Smoker Method

1. Preheat your pellet grill to cold smoke (under 100°F) if possible. If your grill doesn’t go that low, set it to the lowest temp and smoke for a couple of hours it's really just that easy.
2. Smoke the salt for 4 to 6 hours, stirring occasionally for best results. The longer it smokes, the darker color and deeper the smoky flavor will be.

Smoking Process - Offset Smoker Method

1. Set up your smoker for cold smoking by using a small amount of wood chunks or wood chips to create a lot of smoke without much heat. Keep the temp as low as possible.
2. Place your salt on a baking sheet or disposable aluminum pan in the main chamber, away from direct heat.
3. Let it smoke for 4 to 6 hours, stirring every hour to ensure even exposure. Adjust your type of wood for different flavors.
4. This makes the most sense to make when you have meat on the smoker. You're already burning the wood, might as well smoke salt as well!

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Serving Suggestions

• Smoke salt to use as a finishing salt on steaks.
• Sprinkle it over roasted veggies, eggs, or even fries for a next-level taste.
• Mix it into BBQ rubs for an added depth of real wood smoke.
• Pack it into mason jars for an easy great gift idea.

Recipe Notes & Pro Tips

• Smoking time is flexible. Less time gives a subtle smoke flavor, while more time gives a deeper color and intense flavor.
• Storing it in an airtight container keeps the depth of flavor locked in for everyday use.
• Try different kinds of wood to find your favorite. Fruit woods = mild and sweet. Hickory smoke salt = strong and bold. Oak = right in the middle.
• Keep in mind that surface area is important to think about when you smoke salt. The more surface the salt has (and is exposed) to the smoke-filled air, the more flavor it will get.

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